I thoroughly enjoyed my stay in Greystones - including demolishing another bottle of wine with my neighbours! The weather was grey and damp, and it was a long walk to Tesco to restock, but the local restaurants were good.

When it came time to leave, I used a spring to get off the pontoon and everything went very smoothly - with no audience, of course! Outside the harbour, visibility was poor but there was a good southerly wind blowing. Although I had to tack, with the help of the tide it was an enjoyable sail down to Arklow. Visibility was generally poor - often I couldn't see the coast at all. It cleared a bit as I neared Arklow, letting me take the above picture of reportedly beautiful County Wicklow. I had intermittent light showers, until I arrived in Arklow where I was greeted by a heavy deluge just as I entered the river.

That meant the above water storm drain outlet right by the pontoon was in full flow. I'd been warned in Greystones to expect untreated sewage in the river, but the sight was worse than expected. Disgusting. Apparently a treatment plant is planned for 2025. The contrast with modern Greystones was stark.

Arklow didn't get better. The only mooring space looked like a racer had just left it - fenders and lines on the pontoon. Sure enough, a local warned me off so I shifted to raft outside another "of Hamble" boat seemingly there for a long duration. I stayed aboard and planned an early departure! The marina manager came to welcome me ... and collect the fee! Apparently they don't normally allow rafting, but as the racer had already returned and no-one else was expected, he didn't make me move - though where he'd have moved me to I'm not sure, as the marina basin was also full.

Log of this passage